New Cops | Do you care enough?

Possible Careers

Where a Police career can take you

As a member of the New Zealand Police you’ll help people every day, and no two days will be the same. You’ll constantly grow and learn because professional development continues throughout your career.

Your First 2 Years

General Duties Constable

Your Police career starts here.

Start as a probationary Constable and respond to emergencies and prevent crime. You’ll train on-the-job attending street disorder, family violence, road crashes, and stolen car investigations. You'll participate in operations at major sporting events, prepare files for court, and help to locate missing people.

In your first year out of college, you'll earn a salary of $64,675. You could also earn an additional $6,500 in allowances and overtime. Further pay increases will depend on your role, shift patterns, and promotion.

Career Path at 2+ Years

After two years as a probationary Constable, you’ll become a fully-qualified Constable. Choose to stay in this role or apply to work in a specialist area–there are over 30 roles to choose from.

Youth Aid

Work with those at risk.

Work with kids, teens, parents, community organisations, and other agencies to help turn young lives around. Get the reward of helping put young people on the right track in life.

Family Violence Team

Protect New Zealand’s families.

If you have strong communication skills, understand the digital world, and have empathy for victims, you can work to stop child abuse, cyber-bullying, and partner violence.

Dive Squad

Look deeper.

Dive Squad members have regular police duties alongside dive work and training. You could be doing evidential searches, tricky underwater video work, or sometimes you'll be asked to locate bodies. It's valuable and necessary work.

Neighbourhood Policing Team

Stay close to the community.

Working alongside a small team of Police Officers and other groups you can put your problem-solving and communication skills and work with the community to prevent crime.

Air Observation Support

Get a bird’s eye view.

The Air Observation Support is New Zealand Police's "eye in the sky" in Auckland. You'll track fleeing vehicles and offenders and assist with special operations from above.

Forensics

Specialise in crime scene examination as a Scene of Crime Officer or Photographer and work with Fingerprint Officers, Document Examiners, Armourers, and Electronic Crime Analysts.

Prosecutions

Legal intelligence.

Conduct legal research, present evidence in court, and prepare written submissions to strengthen the prosecution's case.

You can apply for this role as a non-constabulary employee if you have an LLB (Bachelor of Laws) and a current practising certificate (with 2+ years experience) or apply once you hold the office of Constable.

Additional Specialist Roles

These are roles that you can take on in addition to your normal duties.

Search and Rescue

Find answers, save lives.

Take on specialist work that suits your active approach to life. If you thrive being outdoors, you could contribute to search and rescue missions when needed.

Armed Offenders Squad

Be calm under pressure.

AOS members are part-time drawn from all branches of Police. You’re trained to “cordon, contain, and appeal” to armed offenders. Tactics and training come to the fore.

Police Negotiator

Resolve the situation.

You'll train in psychology and crisis intervention techniques and attend armed offender incidents–most are resolved peacefully, thanks to the skills of Police Negotiators.

Your Career Path at 3+ Years

Organised Crime and Drugs Unit

Disrupt the threat of organised crime.

You'll work to dismantle the operations and profits of organised crime groups, including gangs. For this role, you’ll train in the Criminal Investigations Branch.

Protection Services

Be the first line of defence.

Whether at home or abroad, you would provide protection for the Prime Minister, Governor General, other key positions, as a well as VIP guests to New Zealand.

International Liaison Officer (Interpol)

You work supporting Interpol (International Crime Police Organisation). Cases include international missing persons, international child abductions, extraditions, and more.

Special Tactics Group (STG)

Accept the challenge.

Provide a sustained tactical response to escalating situations which fall beyond the capability or capacity of the Armed Offenders Squad, including terrorism, hostages, high-risk surveillance, VIP security, and many more.

Leadership

Take charge.

You can become a Section Sergeant in five years. From there, anything is possible–even becoming the Police Commissioner. Aim high and take charge of your career.